Shoppers keep local in mind on Small Business Saturday

The holiday started in 2010 and has become a staple of the post-Thanksgiving retail rush

By Adam Wagner GateHouse Media

WILMINGTON -- After a bustling Black Friday, local merchants remained thankful for the holiday shopping season on Small Business Saturday.

Since its inception in 2010, Small Business Saturday has established itself as a staple of the post-Thanksgiving holiday retail rush, albeit focused on shopping at locally owned stores that sell items shoppers can't purchase online or at larger outlets.

"It's really a celebration to help remind us about the impact shopping small has," said Michelle Conely, an owner of Going Local NC.

Going Local NC had a strong Black Friday, Conely said, and remained busy Saturday morning before ebbing a bit during the afternoon. Other small business owners echoed her sentiment that they benefited both from the day geared toward their wares and the more traditional Black Friday.

Conely also said Small Business Saturday is a reminder that shopping local benefits more than just the shop owners, as it also helps makers and other merchants continue their work. Going Local sells paintings, photography, coasters and t-shirts, among many other local creations.

"I hang about 60 artists in this shop," Conely said, "so it helps all of them make a living or pursue their hobby."

Slightly south of Going Local on North Front Street, Modern Legends and owner Catherine Hawksworth celebrated the shop's first year in a new, prime location, with a storefront next door to Chops Deli.

Hawksworth opened the shop -- which sells records, apparel and mugs, among other carefully selected items -- last October in the Cotton Exchange. After six months in that location, she moved to her current North Front Street spot.

In 2016, Hawksworth said Small Business Saturday was busier than Black Friday. This year, that trend flipped, in part, Hawksworth believes, because Black Friday was also a second Record Store Day, giving hobbyists a chance to pick up limited edition or rare releases.

"A lot of us," Hawksworth said, "depend on days like this to reach our full potential."

Vinyl is key to Hawksworth's approach in the days following Thanksgiving, as the shop was offering a buy one, get one half off sale on records. The records remained the shop's top seller, Hawksworth said, and helped convince shoppers to browse other merchandise in the store.

"They come in for a record," she said, "and they leave with a record and something else."

Reporter Adam Wagner can be reached at 910-343-2389 or Adam.Wagner@GateHouseMedia.com.